Large rotations in first-order shear deformation FE analysis of laminated shells

The paper deals with the geometrically non-linear analysis of laminated composite beams, plates and shells in the framework of the first-order transverse shear deformation (FOSD) theory. A central point of the present paper is the discussion of the relevance of five- and six-parameter variants, respectively, of the FOSD hypothesis for large rotation plate and shell problems. In particular, it is shown that the assumption of constant through-thickness distribution of the transverse normal displacements is acceptable only for small and moderate rotation problems. Implications inherent in this assumption that are incompatible with large rotations are discussed from the point of view of the transverse normal strain-displacement relations as well as in the light of an enhanced, accurate large rotation formulation based on the use of Euler angles. The latter one is implemented as an updating process within a Total Lagrangian formulation of the six-parameter FOSD large rotation plate and shell theory. Numerical solutions are obtained by using isoparametric eight-node Serendipity-type shell finite elements with reduced integration. The Riks-Wempner-Ramm arc-length control method is used to trace primary and secondary equilibrium paths in the pre- and post-buckling range of deformation. A number of sample problems of non-linear, large rotation response of composite laminated plate and shell structures are presented including symmetric and asymmetric snap-through and snap-back problems.